This past week, LB and I had the opportunity to see Little Shop of Horrors at Alhambra Theater & Dining.and as the name Alhambra Theater & Dining suggests, there was dining involved.

The Menu

offered several choices that I have not seen in the past.

LB chose the Jambalaya

I had the Chicken

and cake!

Little Shop of Horrors

is a Sci-Fi/horror/comedy/musical.

It is the story of a docile and hapless florist shop assistant (Seymour) who pines for his co-worker (Audrey, a.k.a. Audrey I), and loves interesting plants. Seymour discovers a plant that is speculated to be from outer space. He names the plant Audrey II, after his co-worker. When the plant doesn’t thrive, Seymour discovers that it feeds only on human blood. Later in the show, Seymour feeds Audrey’s boyfriend, Orin, to the hungry plant. At this point, he must come up with more bodies for the increasingly bloodthirsty plant. Becoming suspicious of Seymour’s strange behavior, the owner of the shop, Mushnik, become victim number two.

The growing plant becomes an attraction generating a great deal of business for the previously struggling florist shop. In addition, Seymour is suddenly regarded as a hero while Audrey secretly longs to be with him and live happily ever after. Instead of living her dream, Audrey falls prey to her carnivorous namesake. Ultimately Seymour becomes the final victim in this production.

Although she triumphs in the stage production, the 1986 movie Little Shop of Horrors ends with Audrey II’s defeat.

“The music swells. Seymour emerges from the dust and debris, adjusts his glasses, and whisks Audrey I to the common comforts of 1960s suburbia”

(source)

Our Alhambra experience ended with vines falling from the ceiling above the audience after a buyer has just taken cuttings of the enormous Audrey II for distribution to other florist shops. The final number is performed by Audrey II’s victims (Orin, Mushnik, Audrey, and Seymour) dressed as cuttings from the Audrey II plant.

Not romantic… but still fun.